One reason for hiring an interim manager is the speed at which they can be on-board; But this should not be the only reason to hire. We are trying to recruit more permanent candidates to be available in interim roles immediately as this is seen as an effective way to try someone before being given a permanent role. The risks of this strategy are many and should be carefully observed before starting.
The immediately available permanent candidate may be a cheaper resource, but will it be fully committed to the assignment, if it does not proceed to the permanent offer? Will they be totally committed to finishing the project if another permanent opportunity arises elsewhere? Will they have the experience to actually make an impact in the short-term?
Professional interim managers bring direct experience of delivering the issues of the client organization and can quickly adapt to varying cultures, making them highly effective in a very short time. Interim Managers are not focused on staying longer than needed and are not normally interested in taking a long-term permanent opportunity; outcomes and driving value are their key priorities. The costs will be higher but the outcomes and business benefits will be easily visible after the interim has left.
Interim Executives are the catalyst to positive disruption by offering:
Independence: With no historic attachment to the business, Interim Managers provide independent, committed support to the strategic direction of the business with no personal or political agenda. Many business cases are formulated with common and unclear benefits, making the measurement of delivery almost impossible. In addition, if the senior stakeholders have differing interpretations of the deliverables, there is little chance of successful delivery by Interim Executive.
Fresh Perspective: Organizations can often reduce the scale and complexity of a program and the risks associated for successful delivery on their first encounter with a major business change. Whilst the Interim Managers bring experience, having managed transformations of equal complexity and scale, they are able to highlight areas of potential financial and non-financial benefits & much quicker than internal staff.
Proven Track Record: Using interim managers instead of management consultants or inexperienced internal resources, clients have more control over results, maintain intellectual property and help reduce costs and risk associated with successful delivery.
Legacy: When utilizing any external expertise, there is a risk of losing significant knowledge and intellectual property when the project finishes. Management consultants will often walk away with this intellectual property, although interim managers will always try to transfer this knowledge to current internal staff.
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